Presentation Skills

As Jerry Seinfeld sees it, most people are more terrified by the prospect of making a speech than they are of their own death – so in the event of a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than giving the eulogy! But love it or loathe it, public speaking is part of everyday life. Whether you have to make a speech at a 21^st birthday party, address your colleagues, or present original research, the generic skills below can help you maximise your success, and hopefully make the limelight less daunting.

Top Ten Tips

1. Preparation! The success of your presentation will depend on your preparation. First, get clear on your central message and the needs of your audience. Then decide which main points, technical supports and approaches will ensure you are heard loud and clear. If you can’t state your central message in one concise sentence, you have more refining to do.
2. Always use notes and NOT a fully written script. Presenters who read words from a page do not inspire their audience. Excellent speakers draw from a clearly labelled, logical set of notes that enable plenty of eye contact and rapport with the audience. Use technical supports for any complicated points: your audience will be grateful for the extra information too!
3. Handouts can be very helpful, but if they are too wordy or complex they distract the audience. Never give your audience fully written scripts of your paper: this is distracting and wasteful. Good handouts elucidate complicated points, clearly state your central message, and suggest further readings. Ensure all handouts have been distributed before you begin your speech.
4. Technical supports such as audiovisual technologies, PowerPoint, an overhead projector, visualiser or whiteboard each function differently. Consider the pros and cons of each, within the context of your message as well as your strengths. That is, if you are not confident being ‘watched’ by the audience but have good computer skills, a PowerPoint presentation may be perfect for you. However, if you are working through mathematical formulas, the whiteboard is often a logical choice.
5. Practice speaking in front of a friendly crowd: your friends, family, cat or mirror. Use practice time to ensure your speech fits the time frame, flows well and covers all main points. Critically review your strengths and weaknesses.
6. Non-verbal communication skills are vital. Address your audience with a solid, open stance and smile. Attempt to genuinely connect with audience members by maintaining eye contact, using appropriate gestures and pausing after major ideas to gauge their response. (Eye contact is not just for the audience: it also helps you adjust your pace, tone and style as needed.)
7. Voice. Vary the volume and pace of your voice to emphasise key points and concepts. An enthusiastic, warm voice is pleasant and engaging, whereas a monotonous drone drives audiences to distraction!
8. Visit the venue ahead of time to familiarise yourself with the size of the room, available technical supports and location of the closest restroom. Calculate how long it will take you to get there so you won’t be late on the day.
9. Establish audience rapport by explaining exactly what they will be able to do or understand after your presentation. Memorise the first three sentences of your introduction. Throughout your speech, you might like to include some anecdotes or humour to maintain audience interest. But be warned – if you’ve never been much of a joker, your scholarly presentation isn’t the best forum to start.
10. Manage nervous tension by using reason to challenge your fears. Set unlikely scenarios to one side, and plan for possible problems such as computer or flash drive complications by taking support phone numbers and printing out some overhead slides. Deal with physical symptoms by taking deep, slow breaths, and drink some herbal or green tea before your speech. Small carbohydrate meals are excellent comfort before an anxiety-provoking event, as are brisk walks and laughter. You may also like to visualise yourself relaxing after having finished the speech: this will calm you and distract from those fearful thoughts.

Podcasts

Tips from the UniSpeakers Club

Skills Workshops:

• Successful Seminars
• Speaking to an Audience

Web Links

Monash University: Presentation Skills

James Cook University: Oral Presentations

University of New South Wales: Speaking to an Audience

Survival Guides: Communication Skills

Review

McConnon, Shay. Presenting with Power: Captivate, Motivate, Inspire, Persuade. 2nd ed. Oxford: How To Books, 2005. [138 pages]

The front cover of this practical guide states in red that you will learn to: ‘Never again be boring; Overcome those nerves; Deliver with style.’ A tall order? Even if it is ambitious, McConnon’s book certainly delivers on good advice, with a hands-on approach to help speakers through every stage of an oral presentation.

The book is divided into sections that deal with preparation, structure, and visual aids, as well as handling questions, nerves, and the audience. McConnon’s focus is to ensure speakers are clear about their central message and audience, and to this end uses a question-answer style to ensure the speech communicates its message well. There are even several pages of generic jokes, as well as a section tailored to each likely situation speakers find themselves in (“You trip or fall: I will now take questions from the floor …” p111).

Because of its readability and array of strategies for speaking, this book will be useful for anyone who is interested in improving their speaking skills. McConnon’s style is brief, clear and accessible, and his inclusion of “Tips From Professionals” is welcome. All in all, this is a book that will assist speakers from initial fright to final success!

Reviewed books are available on loan from STUDYSmarter2nd Floor, Social Sciences South

Return to STUDYSmarter